Friday, March 15, 2013

Shirokuma - Shirokuma

01. Dropping Out
02. To Seek My Very Own Sun
03. Stranded
04. What Is Cold?

Bands like Shirokuma make me question how useful terms like 'melodic' and 'discordant' actually are. The songwriting on their self-titled is not only incredibly tight, but the harmonies, and just the colour of the record as a whole, are just as nuanced and well-defined and wonderful. Rather than either eschewing harmony or going for all-out twinkliness, they mix chords and moods subtly, but so effectively. It's almost unique in emo, but it adds such a depth to the feeling. Fast-paced music that's rich and textured, built mainly on layered guitar playing, it moves through thick and thin sections with harsh, screamed vocals soaring over the top. The entire package is despondent in a delightful way, and surprisingly strong for a debut album.